Why isn't Ovie used on shorthanded?

[SenzZen]

I love how people act like killing a penalty is the hardest thing to do in hockey.

You hold your position and ice the puck whenever you find it on your stick. This love affair people have with grinders is ridiculous.

Having said that, OP's proposal isn't sound.

 

[AINEC*]

I love how people act like killing a penalty is the hardest thing to do in hockey.

You hold your position and ice the puck whenever you find it on your stick. This love affair people have with grinders is ridiculous.

Having said that, OP's proposal isn't sound.

Yep, it is pretty funny. The players that most teams generally have out killing penalties are otherwise the worst players on the roster. All you want on a PK are warm bodies who can listen to instructions. Players you won't be too upset about losing to a blocked shot.

 

[jgatie]

Ive always wondered the same thing. Kind of like how the Devils used Kovalchuk in 2011-2012. He was dominant on the PK. He actually ended that year being a plus on the PK which is ****in nuts. Granted he was always partnered with a responsible forward like Zajac/Parise or a PK beast like Zubrus, but he made big strides that year defensively. Other team's PPs had to be super cautious or else they'd be hit on the counter in an instant.

Being a plus on the PK isn't nuts, it's easy. All your team has to do is score one goal on the PK and you are a plus on the PK. Why? Because PP goals against are not counted in plus/minus.

A player is awarded a "plus" each time he is on the ice when his Club scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal. He receives a "minus" if he is on the ice for an even-strength or shorthanded goal scored by the opposing Club. The difference in these numbers is considered the player's "plus-minus" statistic.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26374

 

[Basement Cat]

Being a plus on the PK isn't nuts, it's easy. All your team has to do is score one goal on the PK and you are a plus on the PK. Why? Because PP goals against are not counted in plus/minus.



http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26374

Ok, no. Obviously I know that goals against don't count towards your official plus/minus. What I meant should be pretty clear...when on the PK, Kovalchuk was on the ice for more goals for than against.

 

[Help]

Players only have so much energy, they can only play so many minutes in a game. Naturally you want to give them minutes in the situations where they can use their strengths to maximize their impact on the game. In the case of OV, his strengths translate offensively, you give him offensive minutes

 

[Bergevillain]

Prob cuz he's not great defensively and you're not supposed to be planning for breakaways while playing short handed

Unless you are Paul Byron

 

[txpd]

Yup. When he's always camped out on the opposing blue line waiting to cherry pick shots, the team would be 2 men down.

Wondering. Have you seen a Capitals game since Boudreau was coach? In Trotz system he plays below the hash marks in the defensive zone.

I have to guess you are just Ov hating.

As for no PK. As a rule he plays so many minutes without pk time. That and who wants the best goal scorer in the league to break his hand after getting hit with a shot?

 

[txpd]

I love how people act like killing a penalty is the hardest thing to do in hockey.

You hold your position and ice the puck whenever you find it on your stick. This love affair people have with grinders is ridiculous.

I heard Trotz justs the other day talking about the Caps taking too many penalties saying the PK are the hardest minutes in a game. Now days PK players don't hold their position. They chase the puck to stay in the passing and shooting lanes. When the puck is loose after a shot they chase hard. When they battle along the boards they are always outnumbered.

Its not stand in one spot and clear the puck when it comes to you.

 

[Silver Tuna]

I was beat to it by an earlier poster but I watched all devils games that year Kovalchuk killed penalties and it was a treat.
I would definitely toy with the idea if I was a coach.

 

[mrv52]

I was beat to it by an earlier poster but I watched all devils games that year Kovalchuk killed penalties and it was a treat.
I would definitely toy with the idea if I was a coach.

I would have a strong backup plan for employment after you are fired.

 

[Riddum]

Ive always wondered the same thing. Kind of like how the Devils used Kovalchuk in 2011-2012. He was dominant on the PK. He actually ended that year being a plus on the PK which is ****in nuts. Granted he was always partnered with a responsible forward like Zajac/Parise or a PK beast like Zubrus, but he made big strides that year defensively. Other team's PPs had to be super cautious or else they'd be hit on the counter in an instant.




I think that Ovechkin, in limited PK time, could be a similar threat. Though at this point he has lost some of the pop in his skates.

Kovalchuk was a much better player than Ovi defensively.

 

[nowhereman]

I love how people act like killing a penalty is the hardest thing to do in hockey.

You hold your position and ice the puck whenever you find it on your stick. This love affair people have with grinders is ridiculous.

Having said that, OP's proposal isn't sound.

Yep, it is pretty funny. The players that most teams generally have out killing penalties are otherwise the worst players on the roster. All you want on a PK are warm bodies who can listen to instructions. Players you won't be too upset about losing to a blocked shot.

You guys have played hockey, right? There's more to killing a penalty than just being a "warm body" who can step in front of a shot.

Ovechkin doesn't have the mentality and defensive acumen to be a great penalty killer but his skillset is such that he could easily work on it and improve. But I'm not going to throw the guy out there when my team is down a man in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.